The Research of Noise in The PLLLU Shiqiang , YANG Guoyu( School of the Microwave engineering ,UESTC ChengDu 610054 China ) Absract This articles introducs the basic concepts and the phase noise in phase-locked loops (PLLs). It focus on a detailed examination of two critical specifications associated with PLLs : phase noise and reference spurs. What causes them and how can they be minimized? Also it inculdes an example .Key words ：PLL ; Phase Noise ; Oscillator1 . The Basic Theory of the PLLA phase-locked loop is a feedback system combining a voltage controlled oscillator and a phase comparator so connected that the oscillator maintains a constant phase angle relative to a reference signal. Phase-locked loops can be used, for example, to generate stable output frequency signals from a fixed low-frequency signal . The phase locked loop can be analyzed in general as a negative feedback system with a forward gain term and a feedback term. .A simple block diagram of a voltage-based negative-feedback system is shown in Figure 1.Figure 1. Standard negative-feedback control system model In a phase-locked loop, the error signal from the phase comparator is proportional to the relative phase of the input and feedback signals. The average output of the phase detector will be constant when the input and feedback signals are the same frequency. The usual equations for a negative-feedback system apply.Forward Gain = G(s), [s = jw = j2pif]Loop Gain = G(s) H(s)Closed Loop Gain = G(s)/[1+G(s)H(s)]Because of the integration in the loop, at low frequencies the steady state gain, G(s) is very high and VO/VI, Closed-Loop Gain =1/ H and Fo=NF REF. .The components of a PLL that contribute to the loop gain include :1. The phase detector (PD) and charge pump (CP).2. The loop filter, with a transfer function of Z(s)3. The voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), with a sensitivity of KV /s4. The feedback divider, 1/NFigure 2 Basic phase-locked-loop modelThe following equations have be developed for the the error signal, Error Detector e(s)=ΦREF –Φ0/N , de(s)/dt=F REF –F0/NWhen e(s) =constant, F0/N = F REFThus F0 / N = F REF .In commercial PLLs , the phase detector and charge pump together form the error detector block. When F0/N≠F REF, the error detector will output source/sink current pulses to the low-pass loop filter. This smooths the current pulses into a voltage which in turn drives the VCO. The charge pump and VCO thus serves as an integrator , seeking to increase or decrease its output frequency to the value required so as to restore its input (from the phase detector) to zero.The loop filter is a low-pass type, typically with one pole and one zero. The transient response of the loop depends on:1. the magnitude of the pole/zero,2. the charge pump magnitude,3. the VCO sensitivity,4. the feedback factor, N.In addition, the filter must be designed to be stable (usually a phase margin of pi/4 is recommended).The 3-dB cutoff frequency of the response is usually called the loop bandwidth, BW. Large loop bandwidths result in very fast transient response . However, this is not always advantageous, and there is a tradeoff between fast transient response and reference spur attenuation.2. Noise in the OsillatorBefore we look at phase noise in a PLL system, it is worth considering the phase noise in a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO).2.1 Noise in Oscillator SystemsIn any oscillator design, frequency stability is of critical importance. We are interested in both long-term and short-term stability. Long-term frequency stability is concerned with how the output signal varies over a long period of time (hours, days or months). It is usually specified as the ratio, Df/f for a given period of time, expressed as a percentage or in dB. Short-term stability, on the other hand, is concerned with variations that occur over a period of seconds or less.These variations can be random or periodic. A spectrum analyzer can be used to examine the short-term stability of a signal. Figure 1 shows a typical spectrum, with random and discrete frequency components causing a broad skirt and spurious peaks.Figure 1 Short-term stability in oscillatorsThe discrete spurious components could be caused by known clock frequencies in the signal source, power line interference, and mixer products. The broadening caused by random noise fluctuation is due to phase noise. It can be the result of thermal noise, shot noise and/or flicker noise in active and passive devices.2.2 Phase noise in VCO (Voltage Control Oscillator )Figure 2 Phase representation of phase noiseA signal of angular velocity w0 and peak amplitude VSPK is shown. Superimposed on this is an error signal of angular velocity wm. Dqrms represents the rms value of the phase fluctuations and is expressed in rms degrees. In many radio systems, an overall integrated phase error specification must be met. This overall phase error is made up of the PLL phase error, the modulator phase error and the phase error due to base band components. In GSM, for example, the total allowed is 5 degrees rms.Leeson’s EquationLeeson developed an equation to describe the different noise components in a VCO.where:LPM is single-sideband phase noise density (dBc/Hz)F is the device noise factor at operating power level A (linear)k is Boltzmann’s constant, 1.38E-23 J/KT is temperature (K)A is oscillator output power (W)Q l is loaded Q (dimensionless)f0 is the oscillator carrier frequencyf m is the frequency offset from the carrierFor Leeson’s equation to be valid, the following must be true:1．fm, the offset frequency from the carrier, is greater than the 1/f flicker corner frequency;2．the noise factor at the operating power level is known;3．the device operation is linear;4．Q includes the effects of component losses, device loading and buffer loading;Figure 3 Phase noise in a VCO vs frequency offsetLeeson’s equation only applies in the knee region between the break (f1) to the transition from the “1/f ” (more generally 1/fg ) flicker noise frequency to a frequency beyond which amplified white noise dominates (f2). This is shown in Figure 3 [g = 3]. f1 should be as low as possible; typically, it is less than 1 kHz, while f2 is in the region of a few MHz. High-performance oscillators require devices specially selected for low 1/f transition frequency. Some guidelines to minimizing the phase noise in VCOs are:1. Keep the tuning voltage of the varactor sufficiently high (typically between 3 and 3.8 V)2. Use filtering on the dc voltage supply.3. Keep the inductor Q as high as possible. Typical off-the-shelf coils provide a Q of between50 and 60.4. Choose an active device that has minimal noise figure as well as low flicker frequency.The flicker noise can be reduced by the use of feedback elements.5. Most active device exhibit a broad U-shaped noise-figure-vs.-bias-current curve. Use thisinformation to choose the optimal operating bias current for the device.6. Maximize the average power at the tank circuit output.7. When buffering the VCO, use devices with the lowest possible noise figure.3 . Phase noise of the VCO in the PLLHaving looked at phase noise in a free-running VCO and considered how it can be minimized, we will now consider the effect of closing the loop on phase noise.Figure4 PLL-phase-noise contributors in the PLLThe system transfer function may be described by the following equations.Closed Loop Gain = G/(1+GH) ；G= [ K d K v Z(s)] / s ；H= 1/N 。